Unforgettable Memories.

Chapter 16

Evening was approaching and we hadn’t eaten anything yet, and I was getting hungry.

“Hey guys, we haven’t eaten anything since breakfast so let’s go and have something please?” I suggested.

“Yeah, I am hungry too, let’s go” Addison said.

“You guys carry on, I am going back to bed.” Gabriel said

“You mean you aren’t hungry?” I asked

“No, I am hungry but not enough to go out and eat, I am more tired actually.” He explained

“Oh come on Gabriel, you have to come with us.” I pleaded

“It’s alright Abigail, we’ll go with him some other time.” Sebastian said.

“Yeah we’ve got plenty of time Abigail.” Addison added

“Alright” I said, “See you soon Gabriel” I took initiative and just hugged him. He hugged me back and smiled. There was something wrong with his smile, it wasn’t innocent enough? It was the sort of smile that said I know something that you don’t know. It was directed at me or so I thought because Gabriel kept giving Sebastian side glances when finally Sebastian punched him hard. Ouch that must’ve hurt.

“Do you have any idea about what is going on Addison” I whispered in her ear.

She laughed, “Oh Abigail, you are so ignorant” and she started walking towards them to break off the play fight.

“Wait Addison, what does that mean?” I shouted after her, “Addison?”

What in the world did she mean? I was ignorant, as in how? Why? When? Ughh. Sebastian and Gabriel hugged each other and so did Addison and Gabriel and then I said goodbye when Sebastian started pulling my arm and we then sat in the car with me and Sebastian in the front and Addison sat behind just like when we came here. But now since it was a bit hotter we closed the rooftop and switched on the air conditioner.

“Will anyone explain to me, what the hell happened in the end.” I asked, I was a bit miffed. Why was I always not told about things, to be honest it was a bit insulting? The silence still prevailed and I asked again, “Well?”

“It was nothing Abigail”, Sebastian said, “let it go please.”

“It was not nothing okay,” I said, it was embarrassing that I had some tears in my eyes.

“Fine it was nothing that you need to know.” He said

“I said I want to know.’ I insisted.

“Yeah well nobody wants to tell you.” He said. And that was all it took for tears to start falling.

“Abigail” he said, putting his hand on my hand and rubbing it, “please don’t cry, I am sorry”

By now we reached a restaurant which was near Blackmore and hardly anyone came here now. I ignored him and just walked inside requesting a table for three.

“Abigail, come on.” Sebastian called out. Ignoring him I sat down. He immediately sat next to me, “I am sorry, please Abigail.” The waitress came up and asked for our orders.

“One peach ice tea please.” I requested.

“One lemon ice tea” Addison said, while Sebastian asked for a coke.

“Abigail look”, he said, I pointedly ignored him and stared somewhere else, he then turned my face towards him and let his hand linger on my cheek, “Abigail I am really sorry, I said it out of frustration. I promise you I will tell you someday soon okay, but not now. Gradually when we become better friends and are close enough to share deep details of life. There are many things about you which I let go too when you ask me to, don’t i?  I am requesting the same of you. Please Abigail.” Okay now this I understood. There were a million things he still didn’t know about me and a few hundred which I wouldn’t tell him, at least not now. I was focusing on the part where he said that we will become better friends, now I know hope is bad, or so I thought, but the fact that he put it into words must mean he hopes too. I was ecstatic knowing that he too, like me, intends to hang around and be a friend to me, I would finally know real friendship. Before I could tell him I forgive him he signalled to the waitress who brought a cake forward, it had a line on it, ‘I am sincerely sorry Abi’. Just like that my heart became all mushy and a hundred watt smile took its place on my face. Nobody ever cared to be sorry enough before. I flung my hands around him and said, “Thank you Sebastian, and I am sorry too. I had no right to pry so much, you give me space and so should I. of course I forgive you for your rudeness.” He smiled broadly as well, “Thank you” and we both continued smiling at each other until our drinks were put in front of us, then we quickly scanned the menu ordering randomly. I called for steamed butter garlic wantons, Sebastian called for spicy fried fish and Addison ordered chicken and zucchini spaghetti. The food was delicious and we weren’t talking that much really. Sebastian got up and spoke to the waitress about something. We all ate the cake and had the rest of it wrapped, she then brought huge containers and gave them to Sebastian. I gave him a questioning glance.

“It is for Gabriel, we can drop it on our way back home.” He explained and started paying, I would have offered but I didn’t have any cash with me at the moment.

“Gabriel eats a lot.” I said, and saw Addison grimacing.

“What?”  I asked. She replied, “Nothing”. So I let it go. Something fishy was going on, only time would reveal the truth. We went back to the car and then back to Blackmore where Sebastian ran and gave Gabriel the parcel while I sat with Addison and we both were talking about designers. Sebastian came back and then we all went back home.

The lunch party was evidently over and I guessed that everyone must have to bed for a siesta. We were tired from the day too so we retreated to our own rooms. I entered mine, had a bath and dozed off.

The sound of knocking woke me up, I really wanted to sleep longer damn, who woke me up.

“Miss Carter dinner is ready” of course it was Mr Collins, honestly my family wouldn’t bother coming up to wake me and the Vaugh kids so far don’t knock at all. I got up and changed into a simple light green dress and rushed down. Sebastian also was rushing and we both smiled at each other. Except for my siblings everyone was seated. As soon as we both sat down they came rushing as well. We all said our hellos and sat down to eat. Later, the party moved to the living room.

“I have something to tell you” Sebastian whispered in my ear. “What?” I whispered back, but before he could say anything my father said, “Everyone, Jeffery has something to say”

Mr Vaugh stood up, “Well, our company is beings awarded the best enterprise of the year and also there is an event held in our honour, three days from today in New York. I plan to retire soon and therefore this will be my last award in this business, which is why it is grander than the other events. I would like to add that most of the hard work was done by Sebastian. The best thing out of the entire speech is that we are all going to New York.” That’s it; he said that last line and all the congratulations got stuck in my throat and my heart, it seemed had stopped. It had to be a joke or maybe I misunderstood, by all he meant my parents and the Vaughs. He couldn’t mean us, me in particular, no; it had to be a joke. Yet in that moment I hoped with all that was there in me that I was wrong and I was indeed going to New York, please let me be wrong. Everyone stood up and started congratulating one another but I sat frozen waiting for someone to correct me or agree with me.

“That was exactly what I wanted to say before.” Sebastian whispered again.

I turned towards him and asked; my heart beating so fast now, in anticipation; “You mean I am going to New York?”

“Yeah that is what dad said, didn’t he?” he nodded. My heart and soul leapt in joy, “You really mean it?” I asked

“We leave the day after tomorrow so please spend tomorrow packing, it will be a six day trip including the days of travelling.” My father spoke before Sebastian.

“So does that answer your question?” Sebastian asked.

I threw my hands around him, for the third time during the day (not that anyone was counting), “Sebastian, I can’t believe it.”

“Better believe it Abigail” he said. I pulled back and smiled. Mother asked me to come in her room and the rest of us dispersed in their own rooms.

“Yes mother?” I asked her

“Abigail, darling I just wanted to let you know that this is your first public appearance so you better carry the best clothes you own, no repeats what so ever, and carry every cosmetic known to man.” She said

“Won’t that be a lot mother?” I asked

“Silly girl, you have to carry a lot. Now you can carry the Louis Vuitton suitcase, and I will make sure that no one in the family does.” She said

“Alright mother”, I answered.

“I am letting it go, once again, but Abigail Carter, this unladylike behaviour of yours has to disappear there, I hope I am understood?” my mother said, and I knew she was reffering to the hug that I shared with Sebastian.

“I apologise mother”, I said.

“Your apologies won’t change the things that the media will notice and print. Now rush off, you need your beauty sleep. Good night.” She said

“Good night mother.” I replied and walked back, more like danced back to my room.